UEFA European Championship

EURO 2024 Qualifiers: Scotland vs Spain: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, and telecast

By Samad Haque

March 26 2023 |

La Roja travels to Hampden Park as they face Steve Clarke’s men on Wednesday.

On March 29th, football fans will see European powerhouse Spain battle Scotland on the pitch as both teams eye qualification for the 2024 Euro. While it is an important game for both teams, winning the match won’t be easy.

Famous for their tiki-taka brand of football, Spain seems to be the favourite going into the match. With a mix of youth and experience in their squad, the 2010 FIFA World Cup champions seem perfectly balanced for their forthcoming tie against Scotland. A consistent team in international competitions, Spain possesses the ingredients to walk away as victors.

While Spain is known to be a team with a lot of international glories, Scotland on the other hand, has faced a horrid time in international football. Failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup since 2002, the Scotsmen have also been unable to display a great showing at the Euros. In their entire footballing history, Scotland has only qualified for the competition thrice. With their upcoming match against Spain, Scotland will look to change their poor display and qualify for the 2024 Euros.

Kick Off

Wednesday, 29th March, 21:45 PM (GMT)

Wednesday, 29th March, 12:15 AM (IST)

Spain form(all competitions): L-L-D-W-W

Scotland form(all competitions): W-L-D-W-W

Players to Watch

Spain: Gavi

Over the years, Spain has been known to produce some of the biggest talents in football. One such player who will be a testimony to the Spanish legacy is FC Barcelona’s 18-year-old midfielder, Gavi. A recipient of the Golden Boy award, and the Kopa Trophy in 2022, Gavi has become an integral part of FC Barcelona and the Spanish team.

A central midfielder, Gavi is a phenomenal passer of the ball. His ability to create long balls and passes will prove important for Spain when they look to bolster the Scottish defence. Along with being proficient in his passing, the 18-year-old is also a good dribbler, with great close control and a terrific first touch. These qualities of the teenager have earned him comparisons with Barcelona stalwarts like Andres Iniesta and current club manager Xavi.

Scotland: Andrew Robertson

Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson is a key player for Scotland. He is considered to be one of the best full-backs in the world, Robertson brings a lot of experience which will be vital for Scotland if they are to beat Spain. He is known for his vision on the pitch, Robertson is a workhorse and can be trusted with both attacking and defensive responsibilities.

Along with possessing technical abilities with the ball, Robertson’s game sense without the ball is phenomenal as well. Added to this, his physicality and athleticism have always been an advantage to whichever team he has played for. If Scotland is to win against Spain, they will need Robertson to play to the best of his ability.

Bet with bet365

Injury and Team News

While Spain have a strong team on paper, they are set to miss goalkeeper Unai Simon, and star player Pedri through injury. The 22-year-old winger Bryan Gill also withdrew from camp citing an injury.

The Scottish team has most of their best players fit for the match against Spain. However, the two most notable omissions will be goalkeeper Craig Gordon and Scott McKenna.

Head-to-Head Stats

Matches: 13

Spain: 6

Scotland: 3

Draws: 4

Predicted Lineups

Spain’s predicted lineup:

K. Arrizabalaga; D. Carvajal, Nacho, A. Laporte, A. Balde, Rodri, M. Merino, D. Olmo, I. Aspas, Gavi, A. Morata

Scotland’s predicted lineup:

A Gunn; R. Porteous, G. Hanley, K. Tierney, A. Hickey, R. Jack, C. McGregor, A. Robertson, J. McGinn, S. Armstrong, C. Adams

Match Predictions

On paper, Spain seems to be the favourite to beat Scotland. Their brand of football mixed with the deep talent in their squad is intimidating for any team to face. In fact, if Spain can maintain their quality and stick to what they do best, they might also be favourites to win next year’s competition. However, it won’t be so easy for them.

If anything, Scotland has a lot to play for, considering they have not done well in international tournaments. While they have a very talented team, all eleven players who play on the pitch against Spain will have to give it their absolute best. It will be interesting to see how Scotland solves the challenge named Spain.

Prediction: Spain 3 – 0 Scotland